Vegan Berry Cream Protein Bites

Makes 40 Balls

Now answer me this: what did humankind DO before the invention of these funny little energy balls?  How did we snack on the go? How did we cram a ton of goodness into one mouth-sized bite? The mind simply boggles!  I know these little bites of deliciousness are as easy to make as simply chucking everything in the blender, but until now, I have never made an energy ball that I felt comfortable enough to post.  They were either too dry, too sweet or too stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth-y. But thankfully I’ve finally nailed it and they really were worth waiting for.

I know it’s hard to get particularly excited about yet another protein bite, since the internet is totally saturated with photos and recipes of them already.  But, as a busy mum, these bad boys are a godsend.  They take 5 minutes to whizz up and 2 balls contain 110 calories and 4g of plant-based protein.  My kids hardly eat any protein at school, so I like to be able to hand them a couple of these when I pick them up to give them a little boost.  

They taste of sweet berry cream, despite them being vegan and containing ZERO grams of sugar, thanks to using the natural sugar substitute of erythritol.  I am relatively new to using this form of sweetener (which is a sugar alcohol) and if you aren’t familiar with it, so far I can highly recommend it! It contains almost no calories and has only 70% of the sweetness of sugar. But most interestingly, it doesn't raise blood sugar or insulin levels, making it the perfect choice for both kids and adults alike; and especially people with diabetes.  It also doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste like stevia does, so I use it as a 1:1 substitution for regular sugar in my recipes now.

These deliciously creamy protein bites freeze wonderfully so I always have them to hand for the inevitable mid-afternoon energy slump for the whole family to enjoy.

INGREDIENTS

·      100g Vanilla Protein powder
·      25g Milled Flaxseed 
·      30g Desicated Coconut
·      30g Ground Almonds
·      90g Coconut Oil
·      70g Cashew Nut Butter
·      30g Erythritol
·      1 tsp Vanilla Extract
·      190g Frozen Berries (I used Blueberries and Raspberries)
·      Optional: 1½  tsp Superfood Powder like Acai, Baobab, Maca or Lucuma 

METHOD

·      Put all of the ingredients into a high speed blender and blitz until a thick paste has formed.
·      Line a large tray with parchment paper and roll them into bite-sized balls.
·      Place in the fridge to firm up for an hour or so.  
·      Either store in an airtight jar in the fridge for a few days or else freeze in Ziploc bags.
·      Best eaten after a few minutes of defrosting from the freezer. 

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Per 2 balls

Calories – 110
Protein – 4g
Fat – 9g
Carbohydrates – 3g
Fibre – 1g